A/N: Given how rough the last few chapters of In My Blood were and how rough Wrong Side of Heaven is going to be I kinda wanted just a little bit of fluff. So here's a fluffy little oneshot. It takes place while Charlie and the gang are still in medical during the chapter "Bury Your Dead" in In My Blood. The name for Operation: Everything is inspired by the song "Everything" by Michael Bublé. Standard disclaimer: I don't own COD: Ghosts or COD: Ghosts - Devil's Breath or their characters etc. I do however claim responsibility for Charlie's snark and awkwardness, along with Ryder. As always, reviews are welcome.

I'd only managed to learn two things during Operation: Everything. Operation: Everything... what could quite possibly be the most important intel recovery of my life, and I'd only managed to learn: 1) Charlie couldn't care less about diamonds and 2) Yellow gold was tacky as far as she was concerned. It wasn't much to go on. I'd had to trust my gut. I'd considered asking Elias' opinion, but I'd never gotten around to it. Now I never would. I can't ask Hesh. Even if he were in the right frame of mind I don't know that I'd trust his taste. Merrick won't have a clue. Keegan… Shit, Keegan may be my only option. While I debate the merits of asking Keegan for his opinion, Meredith Barnes enters to check on Charlie and it's like an answer to my silence nt plea for assistance.

"Meredith- Shit. I mean, Sergeant Barnes..." I call as she turns to walk away.

Off to a marvelous start, Ryder. She turns back, blue eyes sparkling with mirth and a small smile on her face as she suppresses a laugh.

"You can call me Mer, Ryder. It's fine."

"Right, well-," I say before confusion has me pausing, "Wait a second, you know my name?"

"Of course I do. I'm the one that treated you after she kicked your ass the first time," she says with a nod and an affectionate smile in Charlie's direction. "Did you really think she wasn't going to tell me when you two started dating?"

"Oh. Well, you're her friend, right? I mean, one of her best? So, you know her pretty well, right?"

Inwardly I wince at my awkwardness. Was there really no better way to phrase that, Ryder? Mer either doesn't notice or doesn't care. She just answers, that small amused smile still curling her lips.

"We've been friends since basic, so, I'd like to think so. You going somewhere with this?" she asks, curiosity shining brightly in her eyes.

"Yeah, but could we just... Talk. Outside?"

I'd managed to hide this from Charlie for this long already, God forbid she find out because I was idiotic enough to have this conversation within earshot. As far as I know she still has no idea what I stayed behind to ask Elias that day on the submarine. Mer agrees and follows me out into the hall.

"What'd you want to talk about?" she asks and I take a deep, shaky breath.

Bloody nerves...

"I need your help," I manage to say before turning into a rambling mess, "Well, not so much your help, more of your opinion really..."

"Ryder!" Mer says and I shut up immediately. She shoots me a reassuring grin. "Take a breath and just spit it out."

I follow her advice and take another deep breath to steady myself. Just do it, Ryder. Better to know now than find out the hard way later. My fingers wrap around the small velvet box in my pocket and I pull it out.

"Would you take a look at this?" I ask quietly as I hand the tiny black box to Mer.

She opens it and stares at the ring. It's simple. Vintage. Art Deco. Platinum instead of yellow gold. A pear-shaped moonstone centerpiece in place of a diamond, though a few smaller diamonds dot the band among the filigree. After giving Mer a moment to study it I rub the back of my neck nervously and speak.

"What do you think? Too much, not enough?"

Mer doesn't answer and my stomach drops. I knew it. Damn thing's a damp squib.

"It's too much, right? I know she's not much for diamonds, but I figured since they were small… Bloody hell, I should've gone simpler."

"Ryder, calm down. It's perfect. She's going to love it," Mer tells me, her voice and smile soft.

I breathe a sigh of relief and thank Mer for her help. She accepts my thanks and closes the ring box. As she hands it back to me she's sure to tell me, in no uncertain terms, that should I ever do anything to hurt Charlie she'll kill me and make it look like an accident. I smile.

"Were that to ever happen, I think Charlie'd beat you to it."

Mer laughs and agrees before bidding me goodnight and leaving. I go back to Charlie's room and resume my post beside her bed, a small grin playing at my lips. Phase one of my mission was a blinding success. Now I've just got to figure out how the bloody hell I'm going to ask her.